Continuous power-chain of water-lifts.



No. 741,631. I PATENTED 001". 20, 1903.

e. A. OROFUTT. CONTINUOUS POWER CHAIN OF WATER LIFTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29, 1901. RENEWED MAR. 19, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE Norms PETERS co mowumo. \vAsumsrnN. D d.

PATENTED OCT. 20, 1903.

G. ApCROPUTT. CONTINUOUS POWER CHAIN OF WATER LIFTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1901. RENEWED MAR.19. 19133.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

no 10mm.

WITNESSES ATTDRN EY m: NORRIS PETEns co wmm-umovv WASHINGTON. n. I:

PATENTED OUT. 20, 1903.

G. A. GROFUTT. commuons POWER'GHAIN OF WATER LIFTS.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY APPLICIATION FILED JAN. 29,1901. RENEWED MAR.19,1903.

- no MODEL.

WITNESSES:

THE Nonms PETERS cc, mom-mus Patented October 20, 1903..

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. CROFUTT, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

CONTINUOUS POWER-CHAIN OF WATER LlFTS.

QPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,631, dated October20, 1903.

Application filed January 29,1901. Renewed March 19, 1903. fierial No.148,639. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. CROFUTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hoboken, New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Continuous Power- Ohains of Water-Lifts, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to a method of irrigation, orsupplying water to certain arid areas, or to raising, by means of pumpsor the like, water, oil, or other liquids simultaneously at a number ofdifferent points distant from each other and causing it to flow indesired directions by the operation of a single prime mover.

Taking the subject of irrigation particularly, which is one to which myimprovement appertains, and assuming that it is desired to supply waterto a certain large tract of land which may have no river, stream, orlake in its vicinity, my purpose is to drive a number of wells aboutsaid tract at suitable intervals or spaces apart, preferably in acontinuous line, and to provide a suitable pump in each well, or in theevent of an open stream or body of water existing in the vicinity toplace and set up therein a series of pumps at suitable distances apart.These pumps are then all linked or connected together to a prime moverby means either of an electrical wire,piping for compressed air,water,orsteam, an endless moving cable, or other powercommunicating conductor.By linked together I mean that the operative parts of the pumps are eacharranged relatively to the prime mover or power-conductor in a manner toreceive a quota of motive force therefrom, so that the complete line maybe actuated by a single impulse conveyed by the power-conductor andemanating from a single power plant or station. Leading from each of thepumps may be trenches, tunnels, pipelines or other ducts, or other meansof conveying the liquid over the tract of land. Briefly, therefore, myidea is to be able to supply water to a large tract of land by simplytouching a button at a power-station, and thereby instantaneouslycausing a flow of water over the said tract of land.

In addition to the function of providing irrigation for an extensivearea my apparatus is equally applicable to the purposes of pu mpingwater from mines and other workings and also for pumping oil fromoil-wells by arranging a series of pumps and locating each in a suitableposition for the intended work, all of the said pumps being linked by acontinuous power-conductor, as stated. In like manner dwelling-housesand other buildings in a community requiring a water-supply may beprovided each with a pump and said pumps all united by a commonpower-conductor,such as an electrical wire, the same being supportedoverhead by poles or laid upon or beneath the surface in suitableconduits and all of such pumps being operated by power emanating from asingle power-station.

Otherpractical uses too nu merous to specify will occur to the practicalmind for the system of operating a number of pumps spread over asuitable area; but I have contented myself by referring to those useswhich appear to me to be most important and practical, although I do notin any degree limit the employment of my system to the uses specified.

Referring, therefore, to the details of my invention and its operation,taking in connection therewith the drawings, Figure 1 represents thedetail of one of the pumps used in my system and more particularlydescribed as a suction-pump. Fig. 2 represents a device moreparticularly known as the Archimedean screw, and Fig.3 represents aseries of these pumps set up in a system or continuous line.

In the said drawings, Fig. 1 represents a motor or dynamo, as A, gearedup to operate a suction-pump, as B, and governed by the usualball-governor, as O, which in case of racing breaks the current from themain line and throws the said pump out of operation. This isaccomplished by arranging the said governor in series with the line.

Fig. 2 represents an iron-clad motor, as D, having the axis of itsarmature directly connected with the screw, as E, and operated in theusual way from the line, and in case the said pump should run dry orbecome inoperative from any cause I have provided a float at with anangularly-projecting arm 19, preferably connected in multiple with theline, so that as the water flows away from the tank the current will bebroken, rendering the apparatus inoperative.

In Fig. 3 the letter A represents a series of pumps, which may be of thesuction type, Archimedean, or any other mechanical form suitable forsuch purposes. In this instance if we assume the said pumps to besuctionpumps and that they are placed in driven wells at certainpredetermined distances apart where each one will have a separate ordistinct area or sphere of action over a certain tract of land thecapacity of each pump limits the area, and the next pump is arranged inposition for the next adjacent space. The water as raised by each pumpmay be distributed in any known manner, as we have specified before. Themanner of distribution from the pumps is no part of my present inventionand anyknown method now in use may be adopted.

Assuming a complete series of pumps A to have been placed in positionand each capable of raising and delivering water when operated, first,for the practical application of this invention I prefer to useelectricity as a motive power; second, I attach in the case of Fig. 1(the suction-pump) a motor capable of reciprocating the piston of thesaid suctionpump and operate the same by means of an electrical currentpassing through the same. In the case of the said well operated by thesaid pump giving out or some portion of the mechanism becominginoperative I have arranged in series with the line a governor of theusual type that breaks or connects the circuit in proportion to thespeed of the apparatus.

In Fig. 2 I have changed the mechanical electrical construction of mydevice in that I attach the shaft of an iron-clad motor to theArchimedean screw and operate the same in the usual manner from theline, and in case of the drying up of the said well I have arranged inthe tank a float provided with an angular projection that connects withterminals arranged in multiple with the line and holding the circuit aslong as the level in the said tank maintains a certain point. It willtherefore be seen that by utilizing electricity as our motive power itis possible for us at any particular power-station to set in motion anydesired series of pumps in any desired area and that the pumps willsupply the said area with a flow of water, and also in case any well inthe system should become dry or any part of the operative mechanismgoverning said well become out of order the said well will be thrown outof the system and the other wells of the system still operate.

Switches may be applied at the motors of the pumps whereby theelectrical current may be cut off, if desired, from any one or morepumps in the series when said pumps are not required to be operated.

When a series of pumps are located in mines for pumping the water outtherefrom and when said mines are located at an elevation, as isfrequently the case, the power-station may be situated at a lowerleveland the electrical conductor communicate between the power-station andthe pumps.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim is 1. Ina system of irrigation, a series of pumps located at points distant fromeach other, each of said pumps having a motor to operate it, a singlesource of power, an electric conductor communicating between said sourceof power and all of the motors, and means for automaticallydisconnecting the supply of electricity to one of said motors when thepump ceases to raise fluid.

2. In a system of irrigation, a series of water-supplies located atpoints distant from each other and below the surface to be watered, aseries of pumps arranged one at each water-supply, a motor for each pumpto operate it, a single source of power, an electrical conductorcommunicating between said source of power and all of said motors, andmeans for automatically disconnecting the supply of electricity to oneof said motors when thepump ceases to raise water.

3. In a system of irrigation, a series of wator-supplies located atpoints distant from each other and below the surface to be watered, aseries of pumps arranged one at each water-supply, a motor for each pumpto operate it, a single source of power, an electrical communicationbetween said source of power and all of said motors together with agovernor for each motor and means whereby a lack of water-supply causesa governor to automatically disconnect the supply of electricity to themotor of any pump in the series that is devoid of water.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 25th day of January, 1900.

GEO. A. OROFUT".

Witnesses:

JAMEs S. WARWIOK, LEONARD DATES.

